I have wondered about this too - if I wait longer before eating/drinking, will it be even better?
Does anyone know? I've looked at a bunch of osteoporosis studies on Medline, but I haven't seen anything where this was investigated.

The 70mg tab(like all other doses) requires one half hour in time before eating.Surely waiting an hour should increase absorption???

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Barb

this is a "can of worms"...but I will comment. I have read studies on Actonel and Fosamax ...and longer periods before eating does improve asorbsioni. But we really do not know if this will help build more bone, or stop more fractures.

There are some high level docs that think taking half does of those products would be just as good. In the fosamax studies.....5, 10, and 20 mg doses daily were looked at and the 10 and 20 mg does had about the same bone build - which was greater than the 5 mg dose. But, the 5 mg dose decreased fracture risk just as much as the other doses....and Merck selected to market the higher dose to get the bigger bone builds.

Bisphosponates like Actonel and Fosamax are interesting......it is not like we usually think about a drug.....more is better.

The last fly in the ointment is Actonel is approved in Europe with "flex dosing" so patients can take it at night....2 hours after eating a meal so the stomach is empty and cannot eat for at least 2 more hours....hence it is taken in the middle of a 4 hour fast. Patients that take it 3 to 4 hours before bedtime have it on a fasting stomach all night.

All of that is interesting for people that work with the drugs....just talk with your doctor and take the meds like he/she suggest.